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Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Originally Posted by *Dusty*

Noob question, and i apologise in advance. Is the original sundrop head a 3 mode light also?

Thanks!

Good question. The head is actually independent of light engine it is host to but in terms of what I am offering here as complete flashlights, both the SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U come with a three level (3S) light engine that drives a Nichia High CRI LED. So to answer your question, yes, the original SunDrop or simply SunDrop is a 3 mode light.

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Hi Don, will you be offering a 'head only' option for the Sundrop, or is it just offered complete?

The XP-G LE (R5 and R4 warm that is now available in the Haiku) will fit both original Sundrop and XR-U but is better in the original Sundrop (eclipse flood)?

Will the XPG-R4 Warm LE be available seperately or just in the Haiku? Thanks and sorry for all the questions!

....)

I am willing to offer the SunDrop or SunDrop XR-U head only (with LE) for $275. If someone has special circumstances and seeks just a LE, I am open to discuss it with them but don't want to make them as part of any normal offer. There are issues of compatibility and considerations that may need to be taken into account. If you take a LE out of a Haiku, you need to be certain that the little O-ring that serves as a standoff between reflector and MCPCB is in the proper position when you reinstall the LE. I have a new light that is unfortunately still in the vapor stage and it will use the XP-G LE but with a significant alteration to the lead wires and their exit holes through the MCPCB. someone could easily put the wrong LE in the wrong head and cause some damage. Many of you have a better feel for the modularity of these lights than I do but some don't and I can't assume anything.

If any of you want either a SunDrop or SunDrop XR-U head without LE (just head and sapphire lens) and you know what you are doing with it, I will offer one of either for $145.

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Originally Posted by McGizmo

I am willing to offer the SunDrop or SunDrop XR-U head only (with LE) for $275. If someone has special circumstances and seeks just a LE, I am open to discuss it with them but don't want to make them as part of any normal offer. There are issues of compatibility and considerations that may need to be taken into account. If you take a LE out of a Haiku, you need to be certain that the little O-ring that serves as a standoff between reflector and MCPCB is in the proper position when you reinstall the LE. I have a new light that is unfortunately still in the vapor stage and it will use the XP-G LE but with a significant alteration to the lead wires and their exit holes through the MCPCB. someone could easily put the wrong LE in the wrong head and cause some damage. Many of you have a better feel for the modularity of these lights than I do but some don't and I can't assume anything.

If any of you want either a SunDrop or SunDrop XR-U head without LE (just head and sapphire lens) and you know what you are doing with it, I will offer one of either for $145.

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Cool, thanks for the info Don. Basically any of your current LEs could be put in the XR-U though right? (I realize it defeats the purpose of the naming convention if you put some cool emitter in a SUNdrop, but I'm just curious.)

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Originally Posted by McGizmo

At this point, you can request a SunDrop XR-U with either of the Nichia High CRI LED's.

Hi Don,
I didn't realize this, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on whether one of these LEDs is superior to the other? I understand the 119 is a bit brighter, is there a downside to putting this in the SunDrop XR-U head instead of the 083b? I seem to recall reading that maybe the beam profile isn't as smooth? My SunDrop purchase has been somewhat pushed back since I just picked up a Ti PD-S from the B/S/T forum, but it's next on my list!
Thanks, Matt

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Originally Posted by nbp

Cool, thanks for the info Don. Basically any of your current LEs could be put in the XR-U though right? (I realize it defeats the purpose of the naming convention if you put some cool emitter in a SUNdrop, but I'm just curious.)

nbp, if you're interested in the sundrop XR-U, I recommend purchasing the XR-U head only as you already have an XM-L and XP-G light engine. You also have the 123 pak. Prior to the XM-L, I did try an XR-U head with an MC-E light engine and it was wicked bright! I can only imagine how the XM-L will perform

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Originally Posted by nbp

Cool, thanks for the info Don. Basically any of your current LEs could be put in the XR-U though right? (I realize it defeats the purpose of the naming convention if you put some cool emitter in a SUNdrop, but I'm just curious.)

Yes, the XR-U leaves more room between the LED MCPCB and lens to accommodate a taller LED. I believe any of the current LE's I am building will fit in the SunDrop XR-U head. I should point out though that the further the lens is from the LED, the greater the loss of light emitted from the LED far off axis and the more artifacty the beam is at its perimeter. You do gain some lux in a tighter flood beam.

For my needs and uses, the 119 has enough flux to be viable in the Mule head and I prefer it in this configuration. Same is true for the XP-G and certainly the XM-L LED's.

I think the 083B High CRI LED produces the finest light of all of the LED's I have played with. It has a very impressive CRI coupled with a high CCT similar to daylight. The 119 produces significantly more light with a good CRI but at a warmer CCT. If I want some collimation or throw with the 119, the Haiku that I carry is host to a 119 and it is really nice, IMHO. It won't throw like a Cree based Haiku but its tint consistency from spot to spill is better than any other collimated beam I recall seeing and you get good color rendition from it as well.

When I named the XR-U head the LED's I was planning to use in it were the Cree XR-E as well as the Nichia UV. In retrospect I should have come up with a more generic or less specific name. The Osram red and IR LED's work well in the XR-U head as well.

Candidly, there are so many permutations now that I can't recall what looks like what in what configuration. The good news is that within some physical restrictions and caution, these components can be switched around by users and they can determine what works best for them and they can share their findings and opinions here.

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

I have both the 083B Sundrop and 119 Mule and have swapped the LE's around to test.

The 119 is fine in the Sundrop head but you don't really gain that much more output (compared to the 119 in the Mule head) and the beam profile is a rounded square (the LED die profile is magnified through the lens). You can just make out the two solder points for the pos/neg either side of the beam profile if shined on a wall at close distance. Ideally you need a round die LED behind the Sundrop lens such as the 083B and UV 033B's Nichias to get the circular beam pattern, as per Don's original offerings. The 119 is best in the Mule head and 083B in the Sundrop head in my experience but this is just a personal thing.

Regarding the 119 vs the 083B, as much as I love the 119 and the Mule (it is a wonderful LED) the 083B is simply amazing. The high CRI with the higher CCT (5000K approx) is stunning and paired with a Sundrop head it produces the most beautifully pleasing light and is a joy to use.

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Originally Posted by maxspeeds

nbp, if you're interested in the sundrop XR-U, I recommend purchasing the XR-U head only as you already have an XM-L and XP-G light engine. You also have the 123 pak. Prior to the XM-L, I did try an XR-U head with an MC-E light engine and it was wicked bright! I can only imagine how the XM-L will perform

You are right, maxspeeds, I could definitely do that. I have enough now I could swap them around. Only thing is, what if I want to carry them all at the same time? Haha. And in the morning when I'm choosing lights I don't know how keen I'd be on having to switch heads and stuff around. Hmm, hafta think on that. Full lights are certainly easier, but definitely more expensive. I'd kinda like to try that neutral XP-G in a SunDrop, I wonder how that would look. Since it is recessed into the 'can' a bit, it might even fit and work out OK in the original SD. So many choices.

Originally Posted by Bass

I have both the 083B Sundrop and 119 Mule and have swapped the LE's around to test.

The 119 is fine in the Sundrop head but you don't really gain that much more output (compared to the 119 in the Mule head) and the beam profile is a rounded square (the LED die profile is magnified through the lens). You can just make out the two solder points for the pos/neg either side of the beam profile if shined on a wall at close distance. Ideally you need a round die LED behind the Sundrop lens such as the 083B and UV 033B's Nichias to get the circular beam pattern, as per Don's original offerings. The 119 is best in the Mule head and 083B in the Sundrop head in my experience but this is just a personal thing.

Regarding the 119 vs the 083B, as much as I love the 119 and the Mule (it is a wonderful LED) the 083B is simply amazing. The high CRI with the higher CCT (5000K approx) is stunning and paired with a Sundrop head it produces the most beautifully pleasing light and is a joy to use.

Excellent comparison Bass! This was really helpful, thank you. I was thinking the XR-U would be the best choice when going the SD route, in case a person wanted to put other LEs in there and needed the extra clearance, but it seems that people pretty much agree that the original 083B is the best emitter for the SunDrop, and that one works best with the shorter head. So maybe the XR-U isn't really the ideal choice if beam quality is the goal, but rather the original with the 083B? I think?

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Just to throw another emitter into the mix, there was a Sundrop XR-U recently sold with a XM-L emitter that came directly from Don. It's not a High CRI emitter, but from what I understand, it had a pretty nice beam.

Getting the XR-U would certainly make legoing other LEs in there for fun possible which I like, but at the expense of lumens OTF and more artifacts due to lens distance as Don mentioned if you go back to the Nichias. How significant is the loss I wonder? Don, if you put the 083B in the XR-U, how much would you say is lost?

Re: Wave of SunDrop and SunDrop XR-U

Can anyone comment on the artifact in the beam perimeter of the original Sundrop versus the XR-U? I believe that they both have one but that the artifact in the original Sundrop is less noticeable because it is less intense.